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Issue 05

ONEVEGAN BITE MAGAZINE

!No como carne¡ Vegan Your handy Spanish passport for eating vegan Tapas! Vegan in Barca Meet the Founder of Barcelona’s only vegan tapas restaurant

History of spaiN’s cruelest sport Bullfighting is alive and well in Spain

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©One Bite Vegan Magazine 2018 A Brief History of Spain’s Cruelest Sport

A BRIEF HISTORy OF SPAIN’S CRuElEST SPORT By: Ellen Forster

or generations, thousands of tourists today originated in the Middle Ages, wherein the have flocked Spain to see the country’s Greeks and Romans would organise combats famous bullfighting events, along with on the back of bulls. Eventually, the matador other cruel ceremonies held across the or bull-fighter would take on the bull on foot in Fcountry in the name of tradition. Find the plaza de toros arena, making for an incred- out more about these abhorrent events, how to ible spectacle, ending in a ceremonial grand fi- be a responsible traveler and how to ensure your nale, wherein the matador plunges the sword friends and family don’t contribute to this dying between the bull’s shoulder blades, in a move industry. known as the estocada, killing the bull in front of the audience’s eyes. Dating back as far as the Roman times, bullfighting has played a huge role in Spanish cul- Many regions in Spain, including Catalonia, have ture for generations. Bullfighting as we know it banned ‘bullfighting’ to the death as recently

24 A Brief History of Spain’s Cruelest Sport

as 2011. However, ‘bull dodging’ events are still Fermin Festival, held in the city of Pamplona, common across the peninsula. The matador will Navarra each year. provoke the bull with flags, either on horseback or on foot, as opposed to fighting other bulls like The week-long event welcomes over 1,000,000 in traditional ceremonies. people to the city every year and plays host to a variety of traditional and folklorish activities, Sadly, it’s not just bullfighting and ‘bull dodging’ the cruelest of which is known as the encierro that the Spanish are known for when it comes or los toros de san Fermin, or the ‘running of the to ceremoniously inflicting cruelty on this beau- bulls’. tiful breed. You may already be aware of the San

25 A Brief History of Spain’s Cruelest Sport

Hundreds of people run in front of six bulls and attract hundreds of thousands of people from another six steers down a half-a-mile stretch of all over the world each year. Sadly, many tour- narrow street in the centre of Pamplona. A quick ists are still keen to witness, or even take part YouTube search will bring up dozens of horrific in, the country’s most iconic traditions, without clips of this cruel and torturous event, for both a thought for the abhorrent animal cruelty car- the bulls and the participants alike. Since 1925, ried out in their name, with their money. 15 people have died in the run and every year several hundreds of people are injured, by both By being informed and educated tourists, we are trampling and the bulls themselves. able to make intelligent decisions about where our money is spent while we’re on vacation. We must make sure our peers are aware of that too, In recent years, many Spaniards have turned here are some handy links to share with friends against bullfighting and similar events, recog- and family who may be planning a trip to Spain nising it at a cruel and futile sport, whose tra- and could be tempted by this outdated and cru- ditional should be laid to rest. However, events el spectacle: like the encierro or los toros de san Fermin still